Duck and Cover Time…..
It’s a good thing this game is being played in a dome. Otherwise, anyone walking within 3 miles of the stadium would have to wear a hardhat to protect themselves from the bombs Zito is going to be giving up tonight. I haven’t checked this but I would guess that in the first month of the season Zito’s fastball was averaging at least 3 or 4 mph faster than it has in the last 2 months of the season. His fastball is gone people, at least for the rest of this year. And when you’re throwing 84-85 that just isn’t going to cut it. He’ll get a few guys out but over the course of the game he will leave several of those fatties over the plate and Arizona will punish him……
He’s had one win since June 12th and he hasn’t won a road game since the middle of May. Arizona is -130, Giants +110. How could anyone of sound mind bet on the Giants at a paltry +110 with those horrific stats to consider?
All right, I hope I’ve successfully pulled of the “reverse jinx” and Zito pitches a beauty tonight……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
But didn’t Zito assure Bochy that he is back in form?????
The Zen of the Zitmiester. Will he play just good enough to lose? If he falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear him, does he make a sound?
So many questions…
GH, Zito has “reverted to form” enough as it is. He needs to take that form and ditch it, burn it and summon Fathers Merrin and Damien to have that form exorcised. Zito’s form has been nothing short of split pea soup puke putrid.
Mark Grace made an interesting comment last night that he thinks the Giants and Rockies both make the playoffs and not the Padres and Braves. I think the Braves will hold onto the Wild Card and will limp into the Lion’s Den at ATT for a pummeling. We just need to win the division and have a better record than the Reds to get the Braves at home.
Given the lack of alternatives, I’m hoping for the best.
Perhaps he can pull his head out of his arse and come up with something close to what he did in Atlanta just a month ago, (7, 4 hits, 2r, 10K)
It helps if Upton and Reynolds are still out.
5 innings, 3 runs. Then get him the hell out of there.
I’ll take 5 innings, 3 runs… but believe Zito will put it all together tonight. The vibes in the clubhouse hafta be huge, and Zito is a big “vibes” guy. Tonight he comes through for the team!
Henry S wrote a nice piece over on the Splash.
Also, the roof is expected to be open again tonight. Per baggs, the roof was opened last night because the temp was ‘only’ 97. I guess that dispels the myth that Tim can’t stand the heat.
It’s a dry heat, max . . .
Bob Davidson had a hell of night huh? I thought these comments were pretty funny;
@boxcar_fritz: If an ump ever kicked me, as a fan, out of an MLB game, I would commit suicide immediately, as my life would then be complete.
@2xAught7: Coming up on your promo schedules: Bob Davidson Bobble Thumb Night.
@JohnMarecek: Bob Davidson is having a big night for my umpire fantasy team.
@jasoncollette: Bob Davidson needs to eject a beer vendor to complete the cycle tonight. Player, coach, and now a fan have been tossed.
@Haudricourt: Bob Davidson ejects other three umpires in his crew for showing up wearing the same clothes as he’s wearing.
@joe_sheehan: Damn. Bob Davidson just ejected me from my living room.
@BBernsen: What are the chances Bob Davidson ‘s wife gets tossed out of the house over a shitty meatloaf?
The consolation is that the Giants entered the road trip 3 behind the Pads and will go to SD no worse than 2 back. And even if the Giants can’t overcome another Zito implosion, there’s a good chance they’ll stay 1 back since the Pads struggle just as much as the Giants vs. Billingsley, who has two scoreless outings this year at PetCo and has more career wins against the Pads than any other team.
Giants have bats in their hands too, and what I saw (Burrell’s blast plus) they were raking last night. FS with an opposite field HR? Even Miller was amazed on radio, since as Flems pointed out that was his first 2010. Parra saved his team a few more runs with some nice grabs on balls that were scorched, everybody got in last night for a turn at the plate.
Whatever Zwuss gives up, SF can go get more.
Can the Giants solve this Hudson kid like they did Enright last night? Apparently they had some good scouting reports on him and Torres went right after him on the first pitch and the team never looked back. That’s what it will take tonight, cause as everyone seems to be saying, Zito will just give and give. Alright, he didn’t pitch horribly against L.A. in his last outing, just poorly. I was hoping for one of those ‘quality starts’ ~ no more than 3 in 6 and he went 4 in 5.
So a lot depends on the hitters breaking through on a young pitcher who has been very successful to date with an ERA of just under 2.00. It sure would be nice to see that LU go on a concerted, relentless attack. They have beaten Halladay, Santana and Ubaldo, among others, so they have proven they can solve good pitching.
None of us wanna see the momentum broken tonight with a Giants loss, particularly on the eve of going into north suburban Tijuana for the big test for the best in the West. One good thing is that the Dagos two-game winning streak may be on the line tonight as they toss in a rookie pitcher name of Luebke for his second ML start against Lady Billingsley for the Bums. Rox pounded the youngster in his first go-round. Now we know the Fodgers can’t slug with the Rox, but if Barbara keeps up his end of the deal, there’s a good chance of an LA win. Most SF fans will be rooting for them tonight. Whodda thunk it?
So this evening we need some RUNS. We score enough and there’s a better than even chance SF goes into Dago tied for the West.
Max: It’s pretty well known in baseball circles that Timmy has problems with high levels of heat and humiliated relatives. It’s that sticky hot, which places like St. Louis, Cincinnati, Washington and Houston seem to specialize in, which tends to wear down Timmy’s thin reserves of doitiveness. Phoenix may be hotter than the sex life of a Gila Monster, but it is a dryyyyy heat.
Is anyone else not seeing the Timmy POTG photo?
It’s probably and old pic when Tim had short hair and Flav is just messin’ with me.
A picture of Tim with short hair? That photo was taken so long ago it must have required flash powder. Poof!
Flav’s thread had me going there for a minute. Where had his optomism gone? Glad to see he was going for the reverse jinx. Hopefully, Zito will man up tonight. He won’t want to stick out like the sore thumb in what has been a very strong rotation over the last couple weeks. If it wasn’t for the two walks to lead off the 4th in his last start, he was at least looking better. Be a man Zits…don’t nibble. Go after these guys and carry the momentum into tomorrow when we’ll be tied for the division and will have an opportunity to put Dago in the rear view mirror.
Hey, I don’t think the reverse jinx is going to work, but it couldn’t hurt…Anyone else not see the POTG pic?
Yeah. When was that taken?
Oh. *Not* see. No I see it. I just don’t believe it
Fantastic find Flav.
Javier Lopez is my new favorite Giant. He has been nothing short of fanmotherfuckingtastic. Left-handers are just 2-for-33 (.060) against our LOOGY since he joined the club in July when he was traded for Joe Martinez & Bowker. Remember those two guys?
Since becoming a Giant, our newest and bestest Gomez stats are as such:
16 IP 7 H 2 ER 2 W 10 K That includes last night’s 4-out, 10-pitch super-terrific job.
Not too shabby indeed. What can I say, Sabean really lucked into that Gomez. 😀
Best part is that he’s under club control for next year too. He doesn’t become a free agent until the 2012 season. Him, Affeldt and Runzler as our lefties in the pen sure looks good.
Yeah definitely difference maker Dennis.Kudos go out to “Loogy Lopez”.Our new Loogy was asked to get 4 outs including a righty,no sweat…they barely touched it.He has been nasty since day one.Truly a great looking pickup for the stretch run.
Zito has been stinking almost as bad as the dirt bag sitting next to me. Fuck! I hate flying.
LQTM
That’s not nice to say about your wife, Reno . . .
Is it just me,or is it pathetically sad when the Padres fans cheer “Beat LA”.It’s like they want to be part of the Giants/Dodgers rivalry.or like they want to be regarded as a real baseball team.It’s just weird.
I don’t know kat, I think every school kid, everywhere, should learn the beat LA chant. Part of their required chanting class.
C’mon Zito, you fuck, get a win tonight. Keep the streak alive.
I’ll join the reverse mojo crowd. But, it comes natural. Zitoid will get his arse kicked tonight — he’ll be gone before 4 full, with 3 walks, 2 dingers, and a downward facing dog pose before the Moon starts to rise over the Valley of the Sun…
I expect a good outing from the Ruler of the Night. He knows that if he sucks too horribly now he may not get the opportunity to fuck us when it hurts the most, in the postseason. Lucifer is devious,in 2006 He spun a gem against the Twins in the ALDS, knowing that a faceplant against Detroit would be all the more brutal for A’s fans.
He’s inconsistent and of course the Giants paid too much for him. One of the stupidest things Safeway guy did on his watch. He will never admit it of course. The public scorn will never end until Zito is gone. Zito’s agent should get an award for duping an MLB club.
I’m sure the truckful of cash makes up for no awards, Nip . ..
After the Zito/Boras reaming, the Giants shouldn’t even entertain a cell call from Boras on any player he represents. Or, does Sabes already do that?…
Bubbles is all about location these days. With his fastball not seeing anywhere near 88 anymore, he’s GOT to keep the ball down. The dry heat should help his curve, but everything else has to be low low low . . .
If not, it’s moonshots all night.
The boys better put their hitting shoes on tonight. 8 might not be enough . . .
Bonehead would certainly hit the electronic choke collar button on Zits well before 8 runs roll in. But, agreed, the Giants seem to play poorly when he starts, including defense. That’s the Zitoid karma. This could be a very squirrelly game tonite…
Speaking of the A’s, I saw Chavy (“Chawvey”, “Chavvy”?) on the CSNBA tube, talking about nothing, I mean his recent career. Injuries can be unpredictable, yes, and sometimes a matter of bad luck. But seriously, how can this dude show his face in public? After some good years, he gets 6 years at $66 million, then goes on permanent rehab. The last 4 years, including this one, he’s played in 33, 8, 23, 90 games. At least Rohand hasn’t been hurt too much, he sucks the old fashioned way — healthy. Apparently Chavvy’s as good as retired, having kept orthopedic surgeons in BMWs the past few years, but won’t sign the papers until at least next year. The A’s have something like a $3 million buyout coming due next year that would fizzle — if he retired first. Even Urban, ever the A’s Hoover, harumphed at that…
I think if Zits gives up more than 3 runs within the first 3 innings he gets the hook, I think Bochy only wants to be down 1 game going into SD.
There’s only one way to ensure Zito causes no more damage. Someone, Ishikawa’s probably the best candidate (besides, he’s on the bench now), must travel to Jerusalem. There he is to meet a man named Carl Bugenhagen. From this man, he is to receive 3 daggers…
“These are knives. He wants me to stab him! He wants me to murder a child.”
” Please, Daddy! No, Daddy, no!”
I would have just shot the little shit in the face with a Winchester Model 12.
But, hey, that’s just me.
For further reverse mojoing, here goes. Zits has a 9.51 ERA in six games since Aug. 6. I don’t know why he even gives quotes to the press, he should be so ashamed of his work he should refuse to talk until he pitches a good game. Baggs quotes him about the last LA game with the same kinda crap we’ve heard for 3 years after he craters: “My last game, I felt really good,” said Zito, who was pulled after four innings. “Before that, yeah, I was trying to do too much. Putting too much pressure on yourself is the wrong thing to do. Being loose is what allows your talent to come through.” Bleahhhhhh, 3 knives may not be enough…
Astounding how much posters like snarkk pay attention to what the athletes and management say. I mean, come on counselor, you SHOULD be smarter than this. I love Andres Torres, but you now what? I’ve figgered out that he’s gonna play hard tonight, give it his all, and look to win that ballgame. Sure,the Zitfuck has his own peculiar jock speak but I think we might have learned to ignore it by now…with management it’s even more ridiculous. Remember that “Bengie’s ship sailed” last winter…
Did say I believed the Zits blather? We all read Baggs and Shulman and watch the pre and post game shows. Half of that is player blah blah. Everything on this blog is not a helluva lot more meaningful, it’s just better entertainment…
Somebody forgot to shoot Zitshit in the face with a Winchester Model 12. He’s still starting.
Torres CF F. Sanchez 2B Huff 1B Posey C Guillen RF Sandoval 3B Uribe SS Ross LF Zito SP
At least Ross roaming LF should help out the Zitshit in terms of tracking down the screaming liners sure to come his way tonight. Burrell has looked like he’s been wearing cement shoes out there lately. Might be worth a run or two tonight. Zito’s sorry ass can use all the help he can get.
Somebody forgot to shoot Zitshit in the face with a Winchester Model 12. ”
Geez, easy dude. It’s baseball.
A key on Zito’s success is always whether the home plate ump is up for calling his hook a strike. If the ump is generous, that’s a big plus. If the curve, to be a called strike, has to land in a zone as big as a billiard ball, then Zito isn’t long for the game….
In Zito’s defense, sometimes the curve is so good and big, it fools the ump. They often give up on it just like the batter.
Exactly. By the time the ump figures it out after calling a bunch of balls, Zito’s walked 2 guys and given up a 3 run blast…
Tolbert was just talking about this on KNBR. Pretty good stuff, especially in slow mo…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJaHHC95OPc&feature=player_embedded
Zito will probably perform well tonight. As Twin alludes to he has a knack for performing when it is least expected only to go down on flames when really needed.
Chuck, don’t be confused by your own stench.
You see, I don’t get that at all- this concept of the ump getting fooled by the pitch. A MAJOR LEAGUE umpire, getting fooled consistently by the same pitch. Without going all LiveFree, it is sort of amazing how not-very-good these guys are. This is the best we can get. Really?
I got a kick out of hearing the umps miked during that discussion during that recent Padres game, on the Gonzalez hit in the corner. They sounded like four clowns just pulled out randomly from the stands. It was funny stuff.
“What did you see, Jake?”
“Ah, heck, I dunno. How about you, Fred?”
“I think a fan touched it. What about you, Sam?”
“I think it hit a wire.”
“There’s no wire there, Sam”
“Really?”
“Yeah, no wire.”
“Oh. I could have sworn there was a fire there. What do think, Pete?”
“We can use replay on this one, can’t we?”
“Oh yeah. Good idea. Let’s use that.”
Zito makes a good effort when throwing those curve balls therefore it should be a strike every time.
Oh, the cuzzi defense.
Sanrkkk, that’s exactly why I’ve called Zito Bubble Boy for the past few years.
He says shit like, “Gee, Ishould be a little more aggressive, and try to get ahead in the count.” like he’s some wet behind the ears rookie, not a vet with an onerous contract.
No shit, Barry? You walked 6 and gave up 5 runs in 3.2 innings on 3 hits. Ya think not walking guys is the way to go?
“Gee, maybe if I align my chacras . . .”
Okay. But I still don’t know how “Bubble Boy” fits in
The boy in the bubble. Naive and clueless as how to the real workd works . . .
if you believe that Zito’s fastball is gone for the year then there’s no reason to subscribe to the theory that he will pitch well tonight only to fail soon when we really need him. There is no reason to expect Zito will have a good game any time before he can get his fastball back to at least 87-88 mph. 83–85 mph isn’t going to cut it, ever, for this guy. And that’s where he is and has been for some time now……..
I’m in your corner, Barry. I am. Feel the vibes. Get the harmonic.
FREDDY!!!! HR!!!! Back to Back nights.Who is this Mole?
My goodness. Fruckie got into Torres’ adderall supply.
The guy who supposedly had lost his power?
Supposedly? He now has 22 extra base hits in 403 PA. That’s terrible.
Runtification! Wow!
Buster almost tagged one. What’s the O/U on bombs tonite?
Zits sitting at 87, 88
One good inning outta Zito. Curve under control.
Well, he got outta the first frame, no blood. That’s a plus…
Zito had a 3.56 ERA on 8/17. I agree, he’s usually fucked when he’s in the 83-85 range, but he’s pitched much like the rest of the staff until his last 4 starts.
Actually, that’s last 3 starts.
It’s really remarkable … a pus thrower who can’t throw strikes.
And … another big hit by someone who should be an automatic out.
2 walks, free run. Fuck Zito
Referring to Montero’s .222 ave vs. lefties, playing in a bandbox.
Those bases on balls will ~ ~.
Not a bad pitch to Montero say Kruk…Yeah if you think lolipop belt high pitches are fine.
The frat boys on the Arizona broadcast … well, it’s just hard to believe they both played. In this game, they apparently have never seen a rookie roll through a league the first time through … means nothing, and I doubt that this guy is a future Hall of Famer, which they have already implied.
No manager would take out Zito at this point … but on the other hand, there wouldn’t be a single second guess if Bochy did.
First time i’ve seen Torres miss one.
Flemming really needs to cut back on the coffee. Hasn’t paused in the two innings I’ve listened so far.
The feed at Justin.tv switches to the Dodgers-Padres game. Twin is right. Sad to hear Scully; his pace is off. He’s lumbering through it. Mark Grace and this other guy are beneath contempt. They sound like some hicks with straw in their mouths. Or ex-jocks. Or. . .
I can’t stand ’em; will have to switch to 1430 or go back to work on the manuscript on the history of the Cayman Islands (no lie).
Ross should have had it. Now Drew leads off the 5th for em.
Good to see the hitting go into hibernation.
Zito has to give up the lead to feel confortable, though.
Pawlie,
where do you find the feed for the pad/bums game on justin tv?
kostaz was showing it between innings of our game
Practically a forfeit lineup for the Pads, but the Dodgers can’t get up the energy to hit anyone these days, seemingly
Danger, Danger Will Robinson. Zitoid meltdown zone approaching…
Minor leaguer and a washed up Tejada team up for a Padre run.
That’s right … no respect for anyone. Except maybe Gonzalez.
No danger in the 5th. Zito pitches a GOOD inning.
Or Gomez . . .
Fuck, can we get more than 5 pitches out of Hudson?
Wow. This is especially ugly.
How do you throw 7 changeups in a row and get 2 outs?
Anyone know why BD got sent down today? Don’t get the logic?
BD?
Yeah BD Inc he has a huge bat
I think he got sent down because his cock was so small that he was determined to be a woman and “going down” turned out to be his best skill….
Quality start. Whoda thunk it?
It’s official. Everybody’s reverse mojo worked. 6 frames, 2 earned, that’s a quality start for anybody these days. For Zito, it’s near a damn miracle. I’d pull him out now, he’s near 100 pitches, don’t tempt the Fates. Noiw, get some damn runs…